Tough ride for commuters on Barota road

Rajiv Mahajan
Nurpur, October 28

Considered the lifeline of thousands of residents of the Mand area of the state, the Milwan-Thakurdwara-Barota road, which passes through rural Indora subdivision of Kangra district, is in a state of neglect. It connects Himachal Pradesh with Mukerian and Hazipur development blocks of Punjab.

The 13-km road is full of potholes and damaged at several places due to the movement of heavy vehicles such as multi-axle trucks carrying weight between 12 tonnes and 20 tonnes. It is being used for transporting finished material of stone crushers located in the Mand area. A number of culverts constructed by laying pipes under the road have been damaged due to the movement of heavily loaded vehicles. Besides catering to the needs of people of Milwan, Ularharian, Basantpur, Bakradwan, Thakurdwara, Mand-Miyani, Surdwana and Bhogrwan gram panchayats of the Mand area, this road is also being used by the residents of over 12 gram panchayats in Mukerian and Hazipur development blocks of Punjab.

“Due to the pathetic condition of the road, commuters prefer to take the alternative Budhabudh-Mansar link road adjoining Punjab to reach their destinations,” says Gagan Singh, a resident of Thakurdwara.

Parkash Singh, an ex-serviceman who runs a grocery shop on the roadside in hisBakradwan village, laments that rolling stones hit his shop whenever loaded heavy vehicles pass through the road. Besides, dust has made the lives of people residing along the road miserable.

“The government has neglected all roads in the Mand area and the Milwan-Barota road, which was built 15 years ago under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sarak Yojana, has become unfit even for light vehicles,” alleges Pratap Rana, former pradhan of Thakurdwara gram panchayat.

Arun Vashisht, XEN, PWD, Indora division, says he is aware of the poor condition of the road. “In view of the movement of heavily loaded vehicles, the department is contemplating to construct a cemented road,” he says. The PWD has not prepared a DPR for the purpose, he adds.